Display cabinet



' July 12, 1938. E. R. FORTHOFFIER DISPLAY CABINET Filed March 25, 1957 E. H. Eff/10 7a Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIQE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in display cabinets.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a display cabinet wherein a plurality of upstanding display walls are pivotally supported at their lower ends in a supporting framework or cabinet structure with the normally upright display walls arranged in parallelism and adapted to be sequentially lowered for support on a platform for the display of articles of merchandise or the like supported on the walls.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display cabinet of the foregoing character, especially designed for the display of articles of apparel with the articles to be displayed supported on a fold line at the upper end of the display wall and with the lower forward ends of the ar ticles engaged with the display wall in a manner to be maintained in flat engagement therewith during lowering movement of a display wall for the exposure or display of articles carried by the succeeding display wall.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparentas the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a display cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing upright display walls pivotally supported at their lower ends in a cabinet;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View showing the forward display wall lowered onto a supporting platform and an opening in each display wall below the horizontal center line thereof for the passage of the lower forward end of an article being displayed with the article supported on a fold line at the upper end of the wall;

Figure 3 is a Vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the display wall designed for the support of four articles of apparel, such as socks, with inclined supports at the upper end of the wall, a sock being folded on the heel line to present the ankle portion of the sock to be suspended in a substantially vertical plane and with the top of the sock threaded through an opening in the display wall for retaining the sock flatly engaged with the wall; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of one of the display walls.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the display cabinet comprises a boxlike member having a bottom wall 5, front and rear walls 6 and 1 respectively and side walls 8, each side wall 8 having forwardly and rearwardly extending upwardly inclined sections 9 and II] respectively with the lower ends of the inclined sections intersecting at substantially the central portion of the cabinet as shown in Figures 1 and 2. A support or platform for display walls extends between the upper edges of the forward inclined side wall sections 9.

A plurality of display walls arranged in par-. allel relation and contacting each other has each wall pivotally mounted at its lower end at the upper inclined edges and between the inclined side wall sections I0, each display wall including vertical side rods l3 and i l connected by a panel l5 and a transversely extending lower end rod l6 having a pin H at each end thereof that is pivotally supported in the side wall sections II). In the normal uprightpositions of the display walls, the latter are slightly inclined rearwardly as shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the series of display walls supported by the rear wall extension la.

While the display wall may be designed for the support and display of various articles of apparel, the form of display wall disclosed herein was especially designed for the display of mens socks, the upper end of the panel l5 being of sawtooth formation providing inclined supporting edges l8 with an abutment shoulder l9 separating each inclined supporting edge IS. A horizontally extending slottedopening 2B is formed in the panel l5 beneath each inclined upper supporting edge l8 and below the transverse median line of the panel. When a sock is folded on the heel portion, the foot of the sock registers with the leg thereof with the fold line extending at an angle and as shown in Figures'3 and 4, the leg 2| of a sock overlies the forward face of the panel l5 with the fold line 22 at the heel of the sock supported on an inclined upper edge portion l8 of the display panel l5, the foot of the sock being positioned rearwardly of the display panel. The top 23 of the sock is threaded through the adjacent slotted opening 23 and it will be obvious that when the display wall If is moved forwardly or on its pivot pins t7, the leg 2| of the sock will remain flatly engaged with the front side of the panel and prevented from escape therefrom. The side rods I3 and M of each display wall extend above the outer ends of adjacent inclined supporting edges 18 to prevent lateral escape of the socks supported on the display panels, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The

upper edge of the display panel l5 may be designed for the support of any number of articles of apparel or the like to be displayed and when the forwardly positioned upright display wall is lowered onto the supporting platform II, the succeeding display wall is exposed for inspection, of articles carried thereby. The connection between the lower forward ends of the articles be ing displayed and the display panel maintains the articles in a neat condition for ready inspection.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:-

1. In a display cabinet of the character described, a box-like cabinet having side walls, a plurality of substantially normally upright display walls having their lower ends pivoted between the side walls in an upwardly stepped rearward direction, said display walls adapted to be successively lowered to expose the succeeding display wall, a support for the lowered display walls, each display wall adapted to have a folded article "supported at its fold line at the upper edge of the display wall, and said display wall being constructed adjacent the lower end thereof for attachment of the lower end of the forwardly ex posed position of the article with said forwardly exposed portion occupying the major area of the display wall in line therewith and to maintain the article flatly engaged with the display wall at all times and when the display wall is lowered onto said support.

2. In a display cabinet of the character described, a box-like cabinet having side walls, a plurality of substantially normally upright display walls having their lower ends pivoted between the side walls, said display walls adapted to be successively lowered to expose the succeeding display wall, a support for the lowered display walls, each display wall adapted to have a folded article supported at its fold line at the upper edge of the display wall, and said display wall being constructed adjacent the lower end thereof for attachment of the lower end of the forwardly exposed position of the article with said forwardly exposed portion occupying the major area of the display wall in line therewith and to maintain the article flatly engaged with the display wall at all times and when the display wall is lowered onto said support.

3. In a display cabinet of the character described, a box-like cabinet having side walls, a plurality of substantially normally upright display walls having their lower ends pivoted between the side walls in an upwardly stepped rearward direction, said display walls adapted to be successively lowered to expose the succeeding display wall, a support for the lowered displaywalls, each display wall adapted to have a folded article supported at its fold line at the upper edge of the display wall, and said display wall having an opening therein adjacent its lower end for reception of the lower end of the forwardly exposed portion of the article with said forwardly exposed portion occupying the major area of the display wall in line therewith and to maintain the article flatly engaged with the display wall at all times and when the display wall is lowered onto said support.

4. In a display cabinet of the character described, a box-like cabinet having side walls, a plurality of substantially normally-upright display walls having their lower ends pivoted between the side walls, said display walls adapted to be successively lowered to expose the succeeding display wall, a support for the lowered display walls, each display wall adapted to have a folded article supported at its fold line at the upper edge of the display wall, and said display wall having an opening therein adjacent its lower end for reception of the lower end of the for- 'wardly exposed portion of the article with said forwardly exposed portion occupying the major area of the display wall in line therewith and to maintain the article flatly engaged with the display wall at all times and when the display wall is lowered onto said support.

5. In a display cabinet for articles of apparel, such as mens socks, a box-like cabinet having side walls, a plurality of substantially normally upright display walls having their lower ends pivoted between the side walls in an upwardly stepped rearward direction, said display walls adapted to be successively lowered to expose the succeeding display wall, a support for the lowered display walls, each display wall adapted to have a folded article supported at its fold line at the upper edge of the display wall, and said display wall having an opening therein adjacent its lower end for reception of the lower end of the forwardly exposed portion of the article with said forwardly exposed portion occupying the major area of the display wall in line therewith and to maintain the article flatly engaged with the display wall at all times and when the display wall is lowered onto said support, and an inclined supporting edge at the upper end of the display wall vertically alined with said opening whereby the article to be displayed may have a fold line on an angle to the length of the article with the fold line supported on the inclined supporting edge and with the two sections of the article being in registry at the front and rear sides of the display wall.

6. In a display cabinet for articles of apparel, such as mens socks, a box-like cabinet having side walls, a plurality of substantially normally upright display walls having their lower ends pivoted between the side walls, said display walls adapted to be successively lowered to expose the succeeding display wall, a support for the lowered display walls, each display wall adapted to have a folded article supported at its fold line at the upper edge of the display wall, said display wall having an opening therein adjacent its lower end for reception of the lower end of the forwardly exposed portion of the article with said forwardly exposed portion occupying the major area of the display wall in line therewith and to maintain the article flatly engaged with the display wall at all times and when the display wall is lowered onto said support, and an inclined supporting edge at the upper end of the display wall vertically alined with said opening whereby the article to be displayed may have a fold line on an angle to the length of the article with the fold line supported on the inclined supporting edge and with the two sections of the article being in registry at the front and rear sides of the display wall.

ERNEST R. FORTHOFFER.

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